PERKINS  LIBRARY 

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$otttl\ef^  Outrage^! 


Startling   Disclosures ! 


1866    \~:*.  1876. 


Facts  for  the  American  People. 

 Pamphtet  ft: 

Duke  Uniyer^Lty,  Ub«$ 

ST.  LOUIS,  MO.: 

ZETTIRIEIK:^  PUBLISHING-  COMPANY. 

1876. 


PRICE,  CTS. 


^outl^efn  Outfctge^. 


Atrocities  as  they  Passed  ihrcugli  the  Hopper. 


Facts  for  the  American  People  to  Read. 


BRUTAL  OUTRAGES  UPON 

FRANCES  THOMAS. 


1866  VS.  1876. 


ST.  LOUIS,  MO.: 
1876. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/southernoutragesOOeure 

k 


PREFACE. 


In  order  that  the  public  may  fully  understand  the  truth  in 
regard  to  the  Memphis  riots  of  1866,  as  set  forth  in  the  minority 
report  by  Hon.  George  S.  Shanklin,  of  Kentucky,  then  a  member 
of  the  U.  S.  House  of  Representatives,  we  have  taken  the  pains 
to  investigate  the  affair  by  seeking  out  and  conversing  with 
several  gentlemen  from  the  North  who  were  in  Memphis  at  the 
time.  From  a  gentleman  born  and  educated  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  who  was  living  in  Memphis  at  the  time  the  riots  occurred, 
but  now  a  resident  of  St.  Louis,  we  have  the  following  state- 
ment : 

The  day  the  riots  occurred  several  hundred  negro  troops  were 
paid  off,  and  a  grand  drunken  spree  followed.  A  v,hite  and  a 
negro  boy  got  into  a  fight  on  the  bridge  in  South  Memphis,  and 
two  policemen  who  were  close  by  went  and  parted  the  boys.  The 
negro  boy,  being  much  the  larger,  was  severely  pounding  the 
white  boy.  Some  of  the  drunken  negro  soldiers,  who  were  near, 
became  very  indignant  at  the  police  for  parting  them,  and  at 
once  attacked  them,  killing  one  and  wounding  the  other.  The 
wounded  policeman  retreated,  and  was  soon  reinforced  by  several 
others,  who  endeavored  to  arrest  the  negroes,  but  were  repulsed, 
when  they  also  retreated  and  called  to.  their  assistance  a  number 
of  citizens.  In  the  mean  time  the  negroes  were  gathering  rein- 
forcements very  rapidly,  until  they  numbered  hundreds.  The 
whites  were  repulsed  repeatedly,  and  the  alarm  spreading  all  over 
the  city,  nearly  every  white  man  who  had  any  arms  at  his  com- 
mand rallied  to  support  the  authorities  in  quelling  the  negro 
mob.    The  fears  of  the  citizens  were  still  more  aroused  when  the 


iv 


PREFACE. 


fact  became  generally  known  that  several  days  previous  a  faithful 
negro  man  had  communicated  to  his  former  master  the  fact  that 
the  negroes  iC  were  going  to  rise  up  and  murder  every  rebel 
in  Memphis  "  The  negroes  drove  through  the  streets  in  hacks 
and  other  vehicles,  and  amused  themselves  shooting  down  white 
men.  The  riot  commenced  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  and 
lasted  until  ten  o'clock  the  next  day.  During  the  night  nearly 
every  white  male  in  the  city  was  on  guard,  and  before  morning 
the  negroes  retreated  to  Fort  Pickering.  The  police  and  citizens 
finding  it  impossible  to  dislodge  them  from  the  fort,  the  military 
was  called  into  requisition,  who  made  a  charge  upon  the  fort. 
The  negroes,  seeing  the  approach  of  the  troops,  at  once  gave  up, 
and  most  of  them  fled  to  the  country.  One  hundred  or  more 
were  arrested  and  placed  under  guard,  but  were  released  in  a  day 
or  two  without  ever  being  held  accountable  for  their  riotous  acts. 
Some  twelve  or  fifteen  white  men  were  killed  and  many  wounded. 
At  least  thirty  negroes  were  killed. 

'  ^After  these  riots  the  attention  of  the  U.  S.  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives was  called  to  the  matter,  and  a  committee  of  inves- 
tigation appointed,  consisting  of  Hon.  Elihu  B.  Washburne  of 
Illinois,  Hon.  John  M.  Broomall  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Hon. 
George  S.  Shanklin  of  Kentucky,  two  Republicans  and  one 
Democrat,  Mr.  Shanklin.  The  committee  went  to  Memphis  to 
investigate  the  trouble,  and  there  were  two  reports  made  on  the 
matter,  a  majority  and  minority  report,  Mr.  Shanklin  making  the 
minority  report.  The  official  proceedings  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, following,  speak  for  themselves. 


THE  OUTRAGE  MILL. 


In  May,  1866,  there  occurred  what  was  termed  a  riot  in  Mem- 
phis, Tennessee,  or  series  of  riots,  which  were  heralded  forth 
throughout  the  country  as  the  work  of  the  "  rebels,"  the  princi- 
pal victims  being  the  colored  population. 

By  reference  to  the  Congressional  Globe  and  Appendix, 
the  official  organ  of  Congress,  we  find  the  following  proceedings 
of  the  House,  on  page  4.159,  under  date  of  July  25th,  1866, 
being  the  Thirty-Ninth  Congress,  first  session  : 

Mr.  Broomall — In  the  absence  of  the  Chairman  [Mr.  Wash- 
burne,  of  Illinois,]  of  the  Select  Committee  appointed  by  this 
House  to  investigate  the  late  riots  in  Memphis,  Tennessee,  the 
chairman  being  detained  from  the  House  by  illness,  I  am  in- 
structed by  the  committee  to  submit  a  report,  which,  together 
with  the  testimony,  I  move  be  laid  on  the  table  and  printed. 

Mr.  Shanklin — I  submit  a  minority  report  from  the  same 
committee. 

Mr.  Broomall — I  am  also  instructed  by  the  same  committee 
to  move  that  there  be  printed  for  the  use  of  this  House,  twenty 
thousand  extra  copies  of  the  reports  and  testimony,  and  fifty 
thousand  copies  of  the  reports  without  the  testimony. 

The  Speaker — The  motion  to  print  extra  copies  will  go  to  the 
Committee  on  Printing,  under  the  law. 

The  question  was  upon  laying  the  reports  and  testimony  upon 
the  table  and  ordering  the  same  to  be  printed. 

Mr.  Le Blond — I  hope  this  testimony  will  not  be  printed.  I 
do  not  think  any  member  will  read  it  even  should  it  be  printed ; 


6 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


and  therefore  it  would  be  a  useless  expense  to  print  any  copies 
at  all.  The  whole  subject-matter  of  the  investigation  is  entirely 
of  a  local  character  ;  a  matter  the  regulation  of  which  belongs 
wholly  to  the  State  of  Tennessee.  But  Congress  has  taken 
upon  itself  to  go  into  the  different  States  to  regulate  what  should 
be  regulated  by  the  police  of  the  State. 

Mr.  Scofield — We  have  been  regulating  the  business  down 
there  for  the  last  five  years.  [Laughter.] 

Mr.  L° Blond — I  should  not  be  surprised  if  there  had  not  been 
some  regulating  down  there,  and  some  regulating  should  have 
been  done  North,  instead  of  all  being  done  in  the  South.  If 
that  had  been  done,  I  have  no  doubt  we  should  to-day  have  had 
a  better  state  of  things  and  a  united  country.  But,  sir,  I  am 
opposed  to  printing  this  report  for  the  reasons  I  have  named  and 
for  other  reasons.  The  report,  as  I  am  informed,  will  make 
eight  hundred  pages  of  printed  matter.  It  details  the  circum- 
stances of  a  riot  which  took  place  in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  and 
the  facts  of  which  have  been  published  all  over  the  country. 
We  are  just  as  well  advised  now  of  what  occurred  there,  and 
what  gave  rise  to  that  riot,  as  we  should  be  if  this  report  were 
printed  for  electioneering  purposes.  I  shall  call  for  the  yeas 
and  nays  upon  the  motion  to  print.  I  will  now  yield  to  my 
friend  from  Pennsylvania  [Mr.  Johnson] . 

Mr.  Johnson — The  subject-matter  of  this  investigation  wa» 
nothing  more  than  a  riot.  Nobody  ever  pretended  at  the  start 
that  it  was  more  ;  and  the  committee,  I  understand,  have  arrived 
at  the  same  conclusion.  A  riot  in  Memphis  no  more  calls  for 
investigation  by  this  House  than  a  riot  in  New  York  or  Phila- 
delphia. If:  every  riot  occurring  anywhere  in  the  country  is  to 
be  investigated  by  a  congressional  committee,  and  a  volumin- 
ous report  of  the  testimony  to  be  printed  at  the  public  expense 
for  circulation  throughout  the  country,  I  think  we  shall  find  our- 
selves involved  in  a  larger  outlay  of  money  than  the  people  will 
justify. 


I 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


7 


But,  sir,  in  considering  this  proposition  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  it  has  a  political  object,  a  partisan  purpose.  This 
investigation  has  been  so  treated  by  the  public  press  of  the  coun- 
try. I  understand,  however,  that  it  has  failed  of  its  object ;  and 
the  matter  will  not  be  bettered  by  printing  the  report.  We  are 
already  circulating  more  documents  than  are  read  by  the  people. 
We  are  already  expending  more  money  for  publications  of  this 
sort  than  the  people  desire  shall  be  so  expended.  This  money, 
it  must  be  remembered,  is  drawn  from  the  people  by  direct  taxa- 
tion ;  it  comes  out  of  the  labor  and  sweat  of  the  country.  I  re- 
spectfully protest  against  this  system.  I  have  no  objection  to 
printing  the  ordinary  number  of  copies  of  this  report ;  but  as  for 
publishing  fifty  thousand  copies  for  circulation  all  over  the  coun- 
try under  the  franks  of  members,  I  think  we  should  leave  such 
publications  to  private  enterprise,  or  to  the  political  partisans 
whose  purposes  it  may  subserve. 

Mr.  LeBlond — Mr.  Speaker,  I  oppose  this  proposition  in 
entire  good  faith.  This  report  is  a  document  which,  in  my 
judgment,  ought  not  to  be  printed  at  all ;  and  one  of  the  princi- 
pal reasons  why  I  think  so  is  that,  as  I  understand,  the  commit- 
tee recommend  no  action  whatever  on  the  part  of  Congress.  If 
no  action  is  to  be  taken  upon  this  pile  of  testimony  which  the 
committee  have  reported,  what  can  be  the  use  of  printing  it  in 
order  to  be  sent  broadcast  over  the  country?  If  gentlemen 
wish  to  economize  let  them  commence  now. 

Mr.  Broomall — Mr.  Speaker,  I  do  not  at  all  wonder  that  the 
two  gentlemen  who  have  spoken  are  opposed  to  the  printing  of 
this  report  and  testimony.  They  know  what  it  is.  I  will  not 
pretend  to  make  any  argument  in  favor  of  printing  it.  I  know 
whence  the  opposition  comes  and  the  reason  for  it.  I  call  the 
previous  question. 

The  previous  question  was  seconded  and  the  main  question 
ordered  ;  which  was  upon  ordering  the  printing  of  the  usual 
number  of  copies  of  the  report  and  testimony. 


8 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES 


Mr.  Le  Blond — My  proposition  was  to  print  the  report  alone  r 
without  the  testimony. 

The  Speaker — The  gentleman's  proposition  comes  too  late. 
That  might  have  been  offered  as  an  amendment  to  the  motion  of 
the  gentleman  from  Pennsylvania  [Mr.  Broomall].  But  the 
House  is  now  acting  under  the  operation  of  the  previous  question. 

Mr.  Harding,  of  Kentucky — I  rise  to  a  point  of  order.  I 
wish  to  inquire  whether  it  is  in  order  to  move  a  reconsideration 
of  the  vote  by  which  the  report  was  accepted.  I  understand 
that  it  is  not  the  report  of  the  committee  at  all. 

The  Speaker — There  is  no  such  motion  known  in  the  practice 
of  this  House.  When  the  report  of  the  committee  is  presented 
any  gentleman  can  raise  the  question  whether  the  committee  hare 
actually  agreed  to  the  report.  But  after  the  report  has  been 
received,  no  member  can  raise  the  question  that  it  is  not  the 
report  of  the  committee. 

The  yeas  and  nays  were  then  ordered,  when  the  result  of  the 
ballot  was,  yeas,  85  ;  nays,  23  ;  not  voting,  58.  So  the  motion 
to  print  was  agreed  to. 

Mr.  Le  Blond  asked  if  the  minority  report  would  be  printed 
also,  and  the  Speaker  replied  that  both  reports,  together  with  the 
evidence,  would  be  printed. 

Again,  on  the  27th  of  July,  in  the  House  proceedings,  as 
recorded  on  pages  4265  and  4266  of  same  volume,  we  find  the 
following  : 

Mr.  Shanklin — Mr.  Speaker,  it  might  be  supposed,  inasmuch 
as  I  was  a  member  of  the  committee  that  made  this  report,  that 
I  have  some  knowledge  of  what  the  majority  report  contains  ;  but 
I  am  under  the  necessity  of  stating  to  this  House  that  I  have 
never  seen,  and  never  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing,  the  majority 
report  in  this  case.  The  honorable  chairman  of  that  committee 
[Mr.  Washburne]  has  never  thought  proper,  at  any  time  since  the 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


9 


committee  was  appointed,  to  call  the  committee  together  for  the 
purpose  of  consultation.  On  last  Friday  the  gentleman  from 
Pennsylvania  [Mr.  Broomall],  a  member  of  the  committee,  in- 
quired of  me,  as  a  member  of  it,  whether  I  had  my  minority 
report  ready.  I  told  him  that  I  had.  I  inquired  whether  the 
majority  report  was  ready  to  be  presented.  He  said  it  was  nearly 
so  ;  that  the  chairman  was  sick  and  unable  to  give  further  atten- 
tion to  the  subject,  and  that  the  report  had  been  delivered  over 
to  him  to  make  such  corrections  as  he  might  think  proper,  after 
which  it  would  be  presented.  It  was  agreed  between  the  gentle- 
man from  Pennsylvania  and  myself  that  on  last  Monday  morning, 
at  nine  o'clock,  we  should  meet  at  the  committee-room  for  the 
purpose  of  comparing  the  majority  report  with  the  minority 
report.  He  was  to  have  the  opportunity  to  see  the  minority  re- 
port, and  I  was  to  have  an  opportunity  to  see  the  majority  report. 
Under  this  agreement  between  my  friend  from  Pennsylvania  and 
myself,  I  met  him  at  the  committee-room  at  the  hour  appointed. 
When  I  arrived  he  was  not  there.  I  had  my  report,  which  I  had 
prepared  and  ready  to  submit  to  him,  but  he  informed  me  that 
the  majority  report  had  not  yet  been  sent  to  him,  but  that  it 
would  be  forthcoming  during  the  day.  He  said  that  he  would 
send  for  it.  It  was  not  forthcoming  that  day,  nor  even  the  next 
day.  I  understood  the  gentleman  that  it  would  be  forthcoming 
soon,  and  that  I  should  have  an  opportunity  to  see  it.  On  the 
next  evening  I  was  notified  by  the  gentleman  from  Pennsylvania 
that  the  report  would  not  be  forthcoming  until  it  was  offered  in 
the  House.  I  had  no  opportunity  to  see  the  report.  The  priv- 
ilege of  examining  the  majority  report  was  denied  to  me,  and  my 
concurrence  in  that  report  was  refused. 

Mr.  Speaker,  there  is  one  fact  of  which  I  am  satisfied.  It' 
that  report  presents  any  matter  peculiar  or  different  from  ordinary 
riots  or  mobs,  I  am  satisfied  those  gentlemen  must  have  drawn 
upon  their  imaginations,  and  not  upon  the  testimony.  Whatever 
that  report  contains,  whether  it  is  matter  of  public  interest  or 


10 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


not,  I  am  unable  to  say.  I  have  never  seen  it  or  been  permitted 
to  read  it.  My  minority  report,  I  insist,  is  entirely  based  upon 
facts.  It  has  been  subject  to  the  inspection  of  any  member  of 
the  committee  at  any  time  they  thought  proper.  It  is  more  than 
can  be  said,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  for  the  report  of  the  majority. 

The  Speaker — The  gentleman's  time  has  expired,  and  the 
floor  is  now  assigned  to  the  gentleman  from  Pennsylvania  for  five 
minutes. 

Mr.  Broomall — Mr.  Speaker,  I  have  only  one  thing  to  say  in 
answer  to  the  complaint  of  the  gentleman  from  Kentucky,  that 
the  committee  has  not  met  him  to  consult  about  the  report.  It  is 
within  the  knowledge  of  the  members  of  the  House  there  has 
been  no  time  since  the  return  of  the  committee  from  Memphis 
when  the  three  members  have  been  present  in  the  House,  in  con- 
sequence of  one  or  two,  or  even  the  three  of  them,  having  been 
ill,  probably  from  the  climate  of  Memphis  and  the  incessant  labor 
imposed  upon  them  in  taking  testimony.  Now,  the  report  was 
prepared  by  the  gentleman  from  Illinois  [Mr.  Washburne] ,  the 
chairman  of  the  committee.  I  myself  conferred  with  the  gentle- 
man from  Kentucky  with  respect  to  the  report.  I  also  conferred 
with  the  gentleman  from  Illinois.  If  they  do  not  agree  with  one 
another,  it  is  no  fault  of  mine.  With  regard  to  what  the  gentle- 
man has  said,  that  we  have  drawn  from  our  imaginations  if  we 
say  this  matter  differs  from  ordinary  mobs  or  riots,  I  will  say  one 
word.  Why,  sir,  there  was  no  riot  in  Memphis,  notwithstanding 
the  terms  of  the  resolution  which  was  referred  to  us.  There  was 
no  riot,  and  it  is  an  abuse  of  language  to  say  so  when  the  civil 
authorities  of  a  city  of  sixty  thousand  inhabitants  conspired  to- 
gether to  murder  in  open  day  unoffending  citizens  of  the  United 
States. 

Mr.  Shanklin. — I  ask  the  gentleman  to  yield  to  me. 
Mr.  Broomall. — The  gentleman  has  had  his  five  minutes, 
and  I  can  yield  to  no  one. 

There  were  besides  five  cases  of  rape  upon  helpless  and  unof- 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


11 


fending  women,  under  circumstances  that  the  gentleman  himself 
united  with  us  in  saving,  ought  not  to  be  put  in  the  testimony. 
It  was  too  revolting  and  too  horrible  to  be  repeated  anywhere. 

Mr.  Speaker,  there  ought  to  be  printed  at  least  the  number  of 
reports  mentioned  in  the  resolution  which  was  referred  to  the 
Committee  on  Printing  ;  and  I  ask  the  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee [Mr.  Laflin]  to  allow  me  to  make  the  motion  to  double  each 
of  the  numbers  contained  in  his  report. 

This  subject  does  possess  some  political  and  public  signific- 
ance. The  great  question  now  before  the  country  is  whether 
the  people  of  the  eleven  States  lately  in  rebellion  are  yet  in  a  fit 
condition  to  be  intrusted  with  a  share  in  the  government  of  the 
country.  The  animus  and  the  spirit  of  the  people  enter  into 
the  inquiry.  The  details  of  this  report  and  testimony  go  to  that 
very  spirit  and  that  very  animus  of  the  leading  people  of  the 
city  of  Memphis.  I  do  not  wonder  that  the  gentleman  from 
Kentucky  [Mr.  Shanklin]  likes  to  shield  his  friends.  I  do  not 
wonder  that  peculiar  means  have  been  used — I  do  not  refer  to 
the  amiable  gentleman,  the  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Print- 
ing [Mr.  Laflin]  to  prevent  this  report  from  getting  before  the 
country  at  all. 

Mr.  Shanklin — I  would  ask  my  colleague  [Mr.  Broomall] 
whether  the  proof  does  not  establish  clearly  and  conclusively  the 
fact  that  the  mass  of  the  men  engaged  in  these  outrages  against 
the  helpless  colored  people  of  the  city  of  Memphis  were  registered 
voters  under  the  franchise  law  of  Tennessee,  which  was  passed 
by  what  is  known  as  the  Radical  party  of  that  State. 

Mr.  Broomall — I  can  only  say  in  answer  to  the  gentleman, 
that  I  can  well  understand  that  the  very  worst  of  the  friends  of 
gentlemen  upon  the  other  side  would  swear  themselves  in  under 
the  franchise  law.  It  is  very  possible  that  there  are  men  among 
those  who  vote  in  Tennessee  who  are  worse  than  the  average  of 
those  who  are  excluded  ;  I  do  not  know  how  this  is.  But  I 
would  remind  the  gentleman  [Mr.  Shanklin]  that  the  Recorder 


12 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


of  the  city  of  Memphis,  the  leader  of  the  mob,  the  man  who 
urged  them  on  to  commit  these  foul  deeds,  is  the  Vice-President 
of  the  Johnson  club  in  Memphis.  And  now  I  have  only  to  add, 
that,  if  the  gentleman  complains  that  he  has  not  been  allowed 
to  sign  our  report,  I  will  agree  that  he  shall  Have  an  opportunity 
to  append  his  name  to  it. 

Mr.  Laflin — Declined  the  honor  and  called  the  previous  ques- 
tion. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Printing  was  finally  argeed 
to,  which  was  as  follows:  That  one  thousand  extra  copies  of 
the  reports  and  evidence  be  printed,  and  that  10,000  extra  cop- 
ies of  the  reports,  without  the  evidence,  be  printed. 

Again,  on  page  4,285,  of  same  document,  under  date  of 
House  proceedings  of  July  27th,  we  find  that  copies  of  the  report 
of  the  majority  of  the  committee  were  in  circulation,  while  nore 
of  the  minority  report  were  to  be  had,  which  caused  Mr.  Shank- 
lin  to  rise  to  a  privileged  question  and  inquire  why  this  was. 
The  whole  matter  was  finally  explained  and  it  was  recorded  as 
the  order  of  the  House  that  both  reports  were  to  be  printed  to- 
gether. 

We  have  thus  presented  the  official  proceedings  of  Congress  in 
the  first  act  of  the  political  drama,  and  now  come  to  the  second. 

As  before  stated,  the  majority  of  the  committee,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  Washburne,  of  Illinois,  and  Broomall,  of  Pennsylvania, 
made  their  report  to  the  House  on  the  25th  of  July,  1876,  in 
which  report  special  attention  was  called  to  the  horrible  outrages 
in  the  following  language  : 

FRANCES  THOMPSON. 

';  The  crowning  acts  of  atrocity  and  diabolism  committed  dur- 
ing these  terrible  nights  were  the  ravishing  of  five  different  col- 
ored women  by  these  fiends  in  human  shape,  independent  cf 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES 


13 


other  attempts  at  rape.  The  details  of  these  outrages  are  of  too 
-shocking  and  disgusting  a  character  to  be  given  at  length  in  this 
report,  and  reference  must  be  had  to  the  testimony  of  the  par- 
ties. It  is  a  singular  fact  that  while  the  mob  was  breathing 
vengeance  against  the  negroes  and  shooting  them  down  like  dogs, 
jet  when  they  found  unprotected  colored  women  they  at  once 
'conquered  their  prejudices,'  and  proceeded  to  violate  them  un- 
der circumstances  of  the  most  licentious  brutality.  The  rape  of 
Frances  Thompson,  who  had  been  a  slave  and  was  a  cripple, 
using  crutches,  having  a  cancer  on  her  foot,  is  one  to  which 
reference  is  here  made.  On  Tuesday  night  seven  men,  two  of 
whom  were  policemen,  came  to  her  house.  She  knew  the  two  to 
be  policemen  by  their  stars.  They  were  all  Irishmen.  They 
first  demanded  that  she  should  get  supper  for  them,  which  she 
did.  After  supper  the  wretches  threw  all  the  provisions  that 
were  in  the  house  which  had  not  been  consumed  into  the  bayou. 
They  then  laid  hold  of  Frances,  hitting  her  on  the  side  of  the 
face  and  kicking  her.  A  girl  by  the  name  of  Lucy  Smith,  about 
sixteen  years  old,  living  with  her,  attempted  to  go  out  at  the 
window.  One  of  the  brutes  knocked  her  down  and  chocked  her. 
They  then  drew  their  pistols,  and  said  they  would  shoot  them  and 
fire  the  house  if  they  did  not  let  them  have  their  way.  The 
woman,  Frances  Thompson,  was  then  violated  by  four  of  the  men, 
and  so  beaten  and  bruised  that  she  lay  in  bed  for  three  days. 
They  then  took  all  the  clothes  out  of  the  trunk,  one  hundred  dollars 
in  greenbacks  belonging  to  herself,  and  two  hundred  dollars  be- 
longing to  another  colored  woman,  which  had  been  left  to  take 
care  of  her  child,  besides  silk  dresses,  bed-clothing,  etc.  They 
were  in  the  house  nearly  four  hours,  and  when  they  left  they  said 

they  intended  Ho  burn  up  the  last  G — d  d  d  nigger,  and  drive 

all  the  Yankees  out  of  town,  and  then  there  would  be  only  some 
rebels  niggers  and  butternuts  left.'  The  colored  girl,  Lucy 
Smith,  who  was  before  the  committee,  said  to  be  sixteen  or  sev- 
enteen years  old,  but  who  seemed  from  her  appearance  to  be  two 


14 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


or  three  years  younger,  was  a  girl  of  modest  demeanor  and 
highly  respectable  in  appearance.  She  corroborated  the  testi- 
mony of  Frances  Thompson  as  to  the  number  of  men  who  broke 
into  the  house  and  as  to  the  policemen  who  were  with  them. 
They  seized  her  (Lucy)  by  the  neck  and  choked  her  to  such  an 
extent  that  she  could  not  talk  for  two  weeks  to  any  one.  She 
was  then  violated  by  one  of  the  men,  and  the  reason  given  by 
another  for  not  repeating  the  act  of  nameless  atrocity  was,  that 
she  was  so  near  dead  that  he  would  not  have  anything  to 
do  with  her.  He  thereupon  struck  her  a  severe  blow  upon  the 
side  of  the  head.  The  violence  of  these  wretches  seemed  to  be 
aggravated  by  the  fact  that  the  women  had  in  their  room  some 
bed  covering  or  quilts  with  red,  white  and  blue,  and  also  some 
pictures  of  Union  officers.  They  said,  'You  niggers  have  a  mighty 
liking  for  the  damned  Yankees,  but  we  will  kill  you,  and  you  will 
have  no  liking  for  any  one  then.  This  young  girl  was  so  bally 
injured  that  she  was  unable  to  leave  her  bed  for  two  weeks." 


FRANCES  THOMPSON  AS  SHE  APPEARED  BEFORE  THE  COMMITTS3. 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


15 


The  evidence  was  as  follows  : 
Question.    State  your  name  and  residence  ? 
Answer.    My  name  is  Frances  Thompson  ;  I  live  in  Gayoso 
street,  here  in  Memphis. 

Q.    What  is  your  occupation? 

A.    I  sew  and  take  in  washing  and  ironing. 

Q.    Have  you  been  a  slave  ? 

A.    Yes  sir. 

Q.    Where  were  you  raised  ? 

A.    I  was  raised  in  Maryland.    All  our  people  but  mistress 
got  killed  in  the  rebel  army. 
Q-    Have  you  been  injured? 

A.    I  am  a  cripple.     [The  witness  used  crutches.]    I  have 
a  cancer  in  my  foot. 
Q.    Were  you  here  during  the  late  riots  ? 
A.    Yes  sir. 

Q.    State  what  you  know  or  saw  of  the  rioting  ? 

A.  Between  one  and  two  o'clock  Tuesday  night  seven  men, 
two  of  whom  were  policemen,  came  to  my  house  ;  I  knew  they 
were  policemen  by  their  stars  ;  they  were  all  Irishmen  ;  they 
said  they  must  have  supper,  and  asked  me  what  I  had,  and  said 
they  must  have  some  eggs  and  ham  and  biscuit ;  I  made  them 
some  biscuit  and  some  strong  coffee,  and  they  all  sat  down  and 
ate  ;  a  girl  lives  with  me  ;  her  name  is  Lucy  Smith,  she  is  about 
sixteen  years  old ;  when  they  had  eaten  supper  they  said  they 
wanted  some  woman  to  sleep  with  ;  I  said  we  were  not  that  sort 
of  women  and  they  must  go  ;  they  said  "  that  didn't  make  a 
damned  bit  of  difference  ;"  one  of  them  laid  hold  of  me,  and 
hit  me  on  the  side  of  my  face,  and  holding  my  throat  choked 
me;  Lucy  tried  to  get  out  of  the  window,  when  one  of  them 
knocked  her  down  and  choked  her  ;  they  drew  their  pistols,  and 
said  they  would  shoot  us  and  fire  the  house  if  we  did  not  let 
them  have  their  way  with  us  ;  all  seven  of  them  violated  us  two  ; 
four  of  them  had  to  do  with  me,  and  the  rest  with  Lucy. 


16 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


Q.    Were  you  injured  ? 

A.  I  was  sick  for  two  weeks  ;  I  lay  for  three  days  with  a 
burning  fever. 

Q.    Did  any  one  attend  you  ? 

A.    I  had  a  cold  before,  and  Dr.  Rambert  attended  me  after 

this. 

Q.    Were  you  robbed  ? 

A.  After  they  got  through  with  us  they  just  robbed  the  house  ; 
they  took  the  clothes  out  of  my  trunk,  and  took  one  hundred  dol- 
lars that  I  had  in  greenbacks  belonging  to  me,  and  two  hundred 
that  belonged  to  a  colored  woman  that  was  left  with  me  to  keep 
safe  for  her. 

Q.    Did  they  take  anything  else  ? 

A.  They  took  three  silk  dresses  of  mine  and  a  right  nice  one 
of  Lucy's  ;  they  put  the  things  into  two  pillow  slips  and  took 
them  away. 

Q.    How  long  did  the  men  stay  ? 

A.    They  were  there  perhaps  for  nearly  four  hours  ;  it  was 
getting  near  day  when  they  left. 
Q.    Did  they  say  anything  ? 

A.  They  said  they  intended  to  "  burn  up  the  last  G — d  d — d 
nigger." 

Q.    Did  you  know  any  of  them  ? 

A.  They  were  all  Irishmen  ;  there  was  not  an  American 
among  them. 

Q.    Did  anything  else  take  place  ? 

A.  There  were  some  quilts  about  that  we  had  been  making  ; 
they  asked  us  what  they  were  made  for ;  when  we  told  them  for 
the  soldiers,  they  swore  at  us,  and  said  the  soldiers  would  never 
have  them  on  their  beds,  and  took  them  away  with  the  rest  of 
the  things  ;  they  said  they  would  drive  all  the  Yankees  out  of  the 
town,  and  then  there  would  be  only  some  rebel  niggers  and  but- 
ternuts left ;  I  thought  all  the  time  they  would  burn  the  house, 
but  they  didn't. 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


17 


The  testimony  of  Lucy  Smith,  as  reported  by  the  committee, 
was  as  follows  : 

Q.    State  your  name  and  how  old  you  are. 

A.    Lucy  Smith  ;  I  am  going  on  seventeen  years  of  age. 

Q.    Have  you  ever  been  a  slave  ? 

A.  I  have  been  a  slave  girl,  and  have  been  free  four  years 
come  July  next. 

Q.    Do  you  live  in  this  city  ? 

A.    I  live  in  Memphis,  and  was  raised  here. 

Q.    Where  were  you  at  the  time  of  the  riots  ? 

A.  I  was  living  with  Frances  Thompson  at  the  time  of  the 
riots. 

Q.    State  what  you  know  of  the  late  riots  ? 

A.  On  Tuesday,  the  first  night  of  the  riots,  some  men  came 
to  our  house.  We  were  in  bed.  They  told  us  to  get  up  and  get 
some  supper  for  them.  We  got  up  and  made  a  fire,  and  got 
them  supper. 

Q.    What  else  took  place? 

A.  What  was  left  of  the  sugar  and  coffee  and  ham  they 
threw  into  the  bayou. 

Q,    How  many  men  were  there  ? 

A.  There  were  seven  of  them  ;  but  I  was  so  scared  I  could  not 
be  certain. 

Q.    Did  they  rob  you  ? 

A.  We  had  two  trunks.  They  did  not  unlock  them,  but  just 
jerked  them  open.  They  took  one  hundred  dollars  belonging  to 
Frances,  and  two  hundred  dollars  belonging  to  a  friend  of  Fran- 
ces, given  her  to  take  care  of.  They  took  all  the  money  and 
clothes,  and  carried  them  off. 

Q.    Did  you  know  any  of  them  ? 

A.    There  were  two  policemen.    I  saw  their  stars. 

Q.    What  else  took  place  ? 

A.  They  tried  to  take  advantage  of  me,  and  did.  I  told 
them  I  did  not  do  such  things,  and  would  not.    One  of  them 

l 


18 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


said  he  would  make  me,  and  choked  me  by  the  neck.  My  neck 
was  swollen  up  next  day,  and  for  two  weeks  I  could  not  talk  to 
any  one.  After  the  first  man  had  connection  with  me,  another 
got  hold  of  me  and  tried  to  violate  me,  but  I  was  so  bad  he  did 
not.  He  gave  me  a  lick  with  his  fist,  and  said  I  was  so  damned 
near  dead  he  would  not  have  anything  to  do  with  me. 
Q. — Did  they  do  anything  else? 

A. — We  had  some  quilts  in  the  room  that  we  had  been  quilting 
red,  white  and  blue.  They  asked  us  if  we  had  made  them  be- 
fore or  after  the  Yankees  came.  We  said  after.  They  said, 
"  You  niggers  have  a  mighty  liking  for  the  damned  Yankees,  but 
we  will  kill  you,  and  you  will  have  no  liking  for  any  one  then." 
There  were  some  pictures  in  the  room.  We  had  General  Hooker 
and  some  other  Uniun  officers,  and  they  said  they  would  not  have 
hurt  us  so  bad  if  it  had  not  been  for  these  pictures.  They  were 
in  the  house  a  good  while  after  they  hurt  me,  but  I  lay  down  on 
the  bed,  for  I  thought  they  had  killed  me  ;  it  was  mostly  from  the 
choking  and  the  lick  on  the  side  on  my  head. 


1876. 


Having  presented  a  synopsis  of  the  report  of  the  Radical 
Committee  of  1866,  we  now  come  to  1876,  just  ten  years  after- 
wards, when  the  real  facts  in  the  case  are  brought  to  light,  and 
show  in  what  manner  the  Radical  leaders  have  imposed  their 
frauds  upon  the  people  of  the  country,  at  the  cost  of  tens  of 
thousands  of  dollars  of  the  people's  money. 


FRANCIS  THOMAS  AS  HE  APPEARED  BEFORE  THE  RECORDER. 

July  11,  1876,  the  Memphis  Appeal  contained  this  item : 
"The  police  have  discovered  a  negro  man  who,  for  several 

years,  has  been  wearing  female  apparel,  and  was  believed  to  be 

a  woman." 


20 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


The  Appeal  of  July  12  contains  the  following  report  of  the 
investigation  of  Francis  Thomas : 

"  Great  excitement  was  caused  yesterday  in  police  circles 
by  the  arrest,  examination  and  trial  of  a  negro  who  has  lived  in 
this  city  twenty-seven  years,  but  was  supposed  to  be  a  woman. 
'  Frances  Thomas'  was  the  name  by  which  the  negro  was  called. 
Among  the  negroes  that  of  '  Old  Crutchy'  was  often  used,  be- 
cause of  an  injured  leg.  Night  before  last  '  Frances  Thomas  ' 
was  arrested  on  the  charge  of  wearing  female  clothing,  for  it  had 
already  been  told  to  the  police  that  the  creature  was  a  man. 
Few  believed  this,  for  many  had  always  considered  Thomas  an 
hermaphrodite.  The  chief  of  police,  however,  was  not  at  all 
doubtful  as  to  the  result  of  an  investigation,  for  Dr.  J.  H. 
Nuttall,  a  well-known  physician  of  this  city,  had  informed  the 
police  that  he  would  establish  the  fact  that  Thomas  was  a  man 
and  not  a  woman.  The  arrest  was  therefore  made  at  Dr.  Nuttall's 
instance,  he  being  induced  to  this  step  in  order  to  prevent  Thomas 
from  practicing  nefarious  designs  upon  the  different  house- 
holds to  which,  by  reason  of  female  attire  and  dress,  he  had 
access.  All  along  Thomas  had  served  as  a  cook,  house-woman 
or  domestic  servant,  employers  thinking  that  he  was  a  woman. 
Thomas  has  cooked  and  washed  for  more  than  one  good  family 
in  this  city,  and  has  had  opportunities  for  doing  a  great  deal  of 
mischief.  6  He,'  '  she'  or  '  it,'  as  the  negro  may  be  termed,  for- 
merly kept  a  vile  den  on  Madison  street,  near  Bayou  Gayoso, 
and  since  then  an  infamous  house  near  the  County  Jail.  He  has 
been  more  than  once  arrested  upon  the  charge  of  lewdness  and 
immorality,  and  it  is  said  the  negro  has  proved  the  ruin  of  many 
persons,  both  white  and  black.  He  managed  to  escape  punish- 
ment, but  never  abandoned  his  vile  habits  and  corruptions.  To 
prevent  this  was  the  cause  of  his  arrest.  Thomas  was  put  in  the 
station-house  night  before  last  to  await  the  trial  before  Recorder 
Duff  yesterday  morning.  As  the  question  of  sex  could  only  be 
determined  by  examination,  Dr.  J.  H.  Nuttall,  with  Drs.  W.  V. 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


21 


Taylor,  R.  H.  Taylor  and  Julius  Wise  (the  latter  recently  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio),  were  called  in  to  do  this.  These  physicians, 
who  are  well  known  here,  visited  Thomas  in  his  cell,  and  told  him 
the  object  of  their  visit.  Thomas  said  he  would  not  submit  to 
an  examination,  but  on  being  told  that  force  would  be  used,  con- 
sented. The  physicians  then  proceeded  with  the  examination, 
and,  as  Dr.  Nuttall  predicted,  found  "Frances  Thomas"  to  be  a 
fully  developed  man,  and  in  no  respect  a  woman  ;  in  fact,  Thomas 
is  not  even  an  hermaphrodite,  as  he  claimed  to  be.  The  physi- 
cians made  a  thorough  examination  of  Francis  Thomas. 

"  The  evidence  given  on  the  trial  before  Recorder  Duff  was  to  the 
effect  that  upon  the  examination  of  Francis  Thomas  they  found 
that  he  had  none  of  the  developments  of  a  woman  whatever,  nor 
anything  that  could  possibly  be  mistaken  as  any  part  of  the  iden- 
tities of  the  female  sex.  The  evidences  show  that  there  is  no 
part  of  a  woman  about  him,  the  organs  being  entirely  those  of  a 
male  in  every  respect.  Francis  Thomas,  moreover,  would  have 
a  heavy  beard  did  he  not  shave  every  day.  He  is  a  strong  and 
well-developed  negro  man,  and  Recorder  Duff  imposed  upon  him 
a  fine  of  fifty  dollars,  as  he  was  only  charged  with  and  convicted 
of  a  misdemeanor.  In  default  of  the  money  with  which  to  pay 
his  fine,  Francis  Thomas  was  put  upon  the  chain-gang,  sta- 
tion-keeper Tim  Hope  having  purchased  him  a  suit  of  male 
clothing.  The  chain-gang  were  working  on  an  alley  near  Mar- 
ket Square,  but  when  Francis  Thomas  was  added  to  it,  the  fact 
soon  became  known  and  attracted  a  large  crowd  of  men,  women 
and  boys — mostly  negroes.  The  crowd  continued  to  increase, 
and  soon  numbered  hundreds  of  spectators  who  were  anxious  to 
get  a  glimpse  of  the  negro  man  that  had  been  regarded  as  a  wo- 
man. The  crowd  became  very  much  excited,  confusing  the  chain- 
gang  and  preventing  work.  Francis  Thomas  was  an  object  of 
the  greatest  wonder,  small  boys,  old  men,  women  and  children, 
pressing  around  and  asking  a  thousand  questions.  Owing  to  the 
big  crowd,  Tom  Hope  conducted  Thomas  back  to  the  Adams 


22 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGES. 


Street  Station-house,  but  during  the  afternoon  hundreds  of  per- 
sons visited  his  cell  to  get  a  look  at  and  talk  to  the  negro.  When 
an  Appeal  reporter  asked  Thomas  why  he  had  adopted  female 
clothing,  he  replied,  'It  is  none  of  your  d — d  business.' 
Thomas  seemed  to  be  quite  angry,  especially  when  made  to  take 
a  lot  of  false  hair  and  braids  from  the  top  of  his  head.  Like 
most  females,  he  wore  false  hair,  but  did  not  use  chalk  or  rouge. 
He  declared  that  he  had  not  had  a  fair  trial ;  that  Tim  Hope  was 
a  bad  man  and  that  he  would  dispatch  direct  to  Washington  for 
justice.  Francis  Thomas  was  doubtless  recalling  the  fact  that  in 
1866  he  testified  before  the  Congressional  Committee  which  came 
here  to  investigate  the  Memphis  riots  ;  that  he  was  a  respectable 
lady  of  color  and  had  been  ravished  eighteen  times  by  as  many 
different  Irishmen  in  this  city.  This  evidence  the  Republican 
Congressional  Committee  received,  and  upon  it  based  a  '  raw- 
head-and-bloody-bones  '  report.  This  story  of  rape  went  the 
rounds  of  the  Radical  press  calling  forth  the  most  vindictive  arti- 
cles and  a  demand  for  troops.  How  sad  to  think  of  Francis 
Thomas'  ruin !  Perhaps  the  Republican  members  of  the  com- 
mittee in  the  Mississippi  investigation  may  find  similar  subjects 
for  the  accomplishment  of  its  purposes.  And  thus  ends  the 
story  of  Francis  Thomas." 

The  following  additional  information  was  given  by  the  Jlpp eal 
of  August  2  : 

"As  we  understand,  Doctors  Allen,  Cutler  and  R.  H.  Taylor, 
by  request  of  a  leading  Republican  of  this  city,  yesterday  made 
another  examination  with  a  view  to  verify  the  sex  of  Francis 
Thomas.  We  need  hardly  say,  in  view  of  the  reputation  of 
these  gentlemen,  that  the  examination  was  thorough,  and  being 
so,  resulted  in  a  complete  verification  of  the  verdict  rendered  by 
Dr.  Nuttall  and  his  coadjutors.  Francis  Thomas  is  a  man,  and 
a  bad  one — a  very  bad  one — at  that." 

Lucy  Smith,  whose  testimony  followed  that  of  "  Francis 
Thomas,"  was  a  colored  prostitute,  who  lived  with  the  negro 


SOUTHERN  OUTRAGE S . 


23 


brute,  and  was  in  bed  with  her"  when  "  she  "  was  visited  by 
the  "  rioters." 

Thus,  reader,  you  have  presented  some  facts  for  your  careful 
consideration,  facts  which  go  to  show  the  manner  in  which  the 
people's  money  has  been  squandered  to  the  tune  of  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  dollars,  and  all  for  the  purpose  of  perpetuating  Radical 
rule.  The  incidents  herein  cited  are  but  a  few  out  of  the  many 
thousands  that  have  occurred  during  the  past  fifteen  years,  and 
which  has  cost  the  country  millions  of  dollars.  What  think  you 
must  be  the  real  character  of  the  prominent  leaders  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  such  men  as  Washburne,  etc.,  when  they  will 
practice  such  deception  and  fraud  upon  the  American  people. 
Think  of  the  colored  virgin,  Francis  Thomas  (a  big  buck  negro), 
being  ravished  by  eighteen  Irishmen.  The  villainous  deception 
and  fraud  daily  practiced  by  Radical  leaders  is  almost  beyond 
conjecture.  But  the  day  of  judgment  has  come — the  people 
have  at  length  become  conscious  of  the  fact  that  there  must  be  an 
entire  change  of  the  government  officials,  and  that  honest  and 
pure  men  must  be  given  the  reins  of  government  ere  the  last 
semblance  of  a  Republican  form  of  government  has  passed  be- 
yond their  reach. 


RADICALISM  VS.  LIBERTY. 


Monarchy  vs.  Republican  Government. 


Are  the  American  People  Serfs  or 
Freemen  ? 


Americans,  you,  who  prize  liberty  above  everything  else,  have 
a  sad  spectacle  before  you.  The  most  important  events  in  the 
history  of  this  country  since  the  Revolution  are  now  transpiring. 
On  the  one  side  are  arrayed  freemen,  those  who  love  Liberty, 
Constitution  and  Law,  and  on  the  other  those  who  seek  to  destroy 
the  last  semblance  of  the  principles  embodied  in  our  American 
Constitution,  which  was  purchased  at  the  sacrifice  of  so  many 
valuable  lives,  and  handed  down  to  us  by  our  forefathers,  ever 
believing  that  their  children  and  children's  children  would  pre- 
serve it  untarnished.  These  are  indeed  trying  times.  Now  is 
not  the  time  for  excitement  or  wild  experiments.  Every  man 
who  desires  the  future  welfare  of  the  country  should  calmly,  can- 
didly and  seriously  meditate  upon  passing  events,  and  firmly 
resolve  to  act  well  his  part.  In  a  very  brief  manner  we  propose 
to  review  past  events,  those  of  recent  occurrence,  and  those  pre- 
dicted or  threatened  to  occur. 


RADICALISM  VS.  LIBERTY. 


25- 


1.  A  powerful  secret  political  organization  has  existed  in  this 
country  for  several  years,  which  has  for  its  object  the  disfran- 
chisement of  all  foreign-born  citizens  ;  the  proscription  of  every 
citizen,  be  he  native-born  or  foreign,  who  is  a  member  or  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  These  are  facts  well 
known  to  the  American  people.  Radical  papers  throughout  the 
country  have  boasted  of  the  matter  and  openly  declared  that  their 
organization  numbered  one  million  voters.  The  American  Al- 
liance, which  met  in  Philadelphia  last  July,  resolved  to  support 
Hayes  and  Wheeler,  the  Republican  candidates,  who,  if  not  mem- 
bers of  this  oath-bound  organization,  at  least  are  in  full  sympa- 
thy with  it. 

2.  Secret  military  organizations,  in  the  interest  of  the  Radi- 
cal party,  exist  all  over  the  country,  whose  sworn  duty  is  to  obey 
the  officers  in  carrying  out  the  designs  of  the  Radical  party  ; 
"peaceably  if  ice  can,  but  forcibly  if  necessary ,  even 
though  we  have  to  wade  in  blood  up  to  our  knees." 

3.  The  Indian  troubles  were  brought  on  by  designing  men 
sent  out  among  the  red  men,  solely  with  the  view  of  raising  a 
larger  army  to  be  used  during  the  present  Presidential  campaign 
in  the  Southern  States,  to  compel  those  States  to  declare  for  the 
Republican  candidates.  Already  the  Indian  war  has  ceased  and 
preparations  are  being  made  to  throw  most  of  those  troops  in  the 
South. 

4.  Cavalry  horses  are  being  purchased  and  shipped  South  for 
the  use  of  the  troops  and  others,  to  spread  terror  and  force  that 
people  to  support  the  Radical  nominees. 

5.  Whisky,  contract  and  every  other  imaginable  sort  of  rings 
exist  all  over  the  country,  headed  and  run  by  the  highest  govern- 
ment officials,  to  enrich  those  in  power  and  rob  the  people. 


26 


RADICALISM  VS.  LIBERTY. 


6.  The  Government  employees,  all  over  the  country,  who  re- 
fuse to  pay  over  a  certain  per  centage  of  their  salaries  for  Radi- 
cal campaign  purposes,  are  discharged. 

7.  The  State  officers  of  Iowa  have  refused  to  furnish  arms 
to  military  organizations,  assigning  as  a  reason  therefor,  that 
all  arms  ivere  to  be  used  during  the  Presidential  cam- 
paign. 

8.  Arms  and  ammunition  are  being  shipped  to  negroes  all 
over  the  South,  for  the  purpose  of  murdering  white  men,  women 
and  children,  and  carrying  those  States  for  Hayes  and  Wheeler. 

9.  It  has  been  discovered  that  secret  agents  from  the  East 
have  been  sent  to  St.  Louis  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  all  the 
negroes  and  uniforming  them,  at  Radical  expense,  who  march 
through  the  streets  making  night  hideous  with  their  yells ;  thus 
hoping  to  create  a  riot  and  use  it  throughout  the  Northern  and 
Eastern  States  for  political  capital.  They  have  no  hope  of  car- 
rying Missouri,  but  hope  to  incite  the  negroes  to  violence,  and 
by  the  sacrifice  of  fifty  or  one  hundred  of  their  lives,  add  thou- 
sands of  votes  to  their  party  candidates. 

10.  Secret  emisaries  are  being  sent  all  through  the  South  and 
"West  to  write  up  communications  for  Northern  newspapers, 
wTatch  every  movement  which  tends  to  injure  Radical  success,  and 
by  words  and  deeds  bring  on  trouble  and  strife. 

11.  Almost  every  day  the  newspapers  contain  telegraphic  ac- 
counts from  the  South  of  outrages  being  committed  by  armed 
negroes.  For  a  negro  in  the  South  to  declare  his  intention  to 
vote  the  Democratic  ticket,  his  life  must  pay  the  forfeit,  as  was 
recently  the  case  in  South  Carolina  and  Tennessee.  So  great 
are  the  fears  of  many  already  that  they  are  daily  expecting  to 
read  of  wholesale  massacres  of  white  people  in  the  South. 


RADICALISM  VS.  LIBERTY. 


27 


12.  Republicans  openly  boast  that  if  Tilden  is  elected  he  will 
not  be  allowed  to  take  the  office  ;  that  they  will  have  a  majority 
in  the  Senate  and  will  throw  out  enough  States  to  declare  the 
election  null  and  void,  and  that  Grant  will  hold  over. 

13.  It  has  leaked  out  that  the  infamous  plot  has  been  agreed 
upon  to  appoint  100,000  men  in  the  Southern  States  United 
States  deputy  marshals,  just  before  the  election,  to  arrest  and 
keep  from  the  polls  honest  voters  who  refuse  to  vote  the  Repub- 
lican ticket ;  that  these  commissions  are  now  being  made  out  and 
distributed  mainly  to  negroes  and  carpet-baggers. 

14.  Republicans  declare  that  if  Tilden  is  elected  the  election 
will  be  declared  illegal,  and  that  Grant  will  declare  himself  Dic- 
tator, and  will  receive  assistance  from  England  to  establish  his 
monarchy. 

We  might  continue,  without  limit,  to  enumerate  the  many 
grievances  and  outrages  that  are  daily  and  hourly  being  practiced 
by  the  ruling  party  of  the  country,  all  of  which  are  well  known 
to .  every  intelligent  and  observing  man  ;  but  we  deem  the  few 
facts  recited  sufficient  to  cause  every  lover  of  his  country  to  stop 
and  reflect  on  the  deplorable  state  of  affairs  that  exists.  The 
time  for  action  has  arrived,  and  every  man  who  desires  liberty 
and  the  perpetuation  of  a  Republican  form  of  government  in 
this  country  should  at  once  resolve  in  his  own  mind  to  do  every- 
thing within  his  power  to  put  a  stop  to  the  ruin  and  oppression 
that  is  daily  occuring.  Another  four  years5  lease  of  power  of  the 
Radical  party  will  most  assuredly  bankrupt  the  country  and  drift 
the  people  into  a  monarchial  form  of  government.  You  have 
but  to  look  around  you  to  see  the  fruits  of  Radical  misrule.  Look 
at  the  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  workingmen  and  me- 
chanics idle  all  over  the  country,  with  their  wives  and  children, 
without  the  necessary  food  to  sustain  life.  Business  of  every  kind 


28 


RADICALISM  VS.  LIBERTY. 


is  depressed,  and  scarcely  a  man  can  be  found  who  is  u  making 
ends  meet."  It  is  nothing  but  taxation  and  depression  on  every 
hand.  Men  are  becoming  desperate,  and  robbery  and  murders  are 
of  daily  occurrence  all  over  our  once  peaceful  and  happy  country. 

There  is  no  hope  for  the  future,  for  the  better,  save  in  a 
change  of  government  officers.  The  prayers  and  cries  of  millions 
of  our  people  are  daily  ascending  to  Heaven  for  relief  from  the 
awful  doom  that  seems  to  await  us  as  a  nation  and  people.  Is 
there  a  man  so  recreant  to  the  true  principles  of  justice  and 
right,  that  he  is  unwilling  to  add  his  voice  and  vote  to  relieve  the 
country  and  people  from  the  terrible  future  that  seems  to  await 
us.  The  whole  treasury  of  the  country  is  in  the  hands  of  a  few 
who  will  not  stop  at  any  means  to  carry  out  their  nefarious  de- 
signs. The  only  salvation  or  hope  that  remains  is  for  such  an 
uprising  of  the  people  as  will  teach  these  fiends  in  human  shape, 
these  destroyers  of  the  only  true  Republican  government  on  the 
habitable  globe,  that  the  great  American  people  are  alive  to  their 
true  interests,  and'will,  in  November  next,  show  them  that  they 
love  liberty,  freedom  and  country,  far  better  than  party  ties.  In 
November  next  the  ximerican  people  must  decide  whether  they 
are  freemen,  or  whether  they  will  be  the  serfs  of  a  few  designing- 
men  who  are  running  the  country  for  their  own  personal  and 
pecuniary  interests.  The  past  record  of  the  Republican  party  is 
a  sufficient  warning  to  the  great  American  people  of  what  may 
be  expected  in  the  near  future,  should  another  lease  of  power  be 
granted  them.  The  only  course  left  for  the  American  people  is 
to  uact  well  their  part"  and  a  few  short  days  will  seal  the  fate 
of  this  country  for  all  time  to  come. 


